<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Absence Sweetens The Love Which Presence Strengthens by al_fletcher, athenril_of_kirkwall (al_fletcher)</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28026135">Absence Sweetens The Love Which Presence Strengthens</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/al_fletcher/pseuds/al_fletcher'>al_fletcher</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/al_fletcher/pseuds/athenril_of_kirkwall'>athenril_of_kirkwall (al_fletcher)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Aether Effect (With Smut) [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dragon Age Drunk Writing Circle, Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Here Lies the Abyss, F/M, Prompt Fic, Romance, Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:41:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,105</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28026135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/al_fletcher/pseuds/al_fletcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/al_fletcher/pseuds/athenril_of_kirkwall</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Blackwall and Cassandra have separate missions in the Western Approach. They may be a little worried about each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blackwall/Cassandra Pentaghast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Aether Effect (With Smut) [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1227941</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>DA Drunk Writing Circle Prompt Fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Absence Sweetens The Love Which Presence Strengthens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Fill for "Almost Lost You Kiss", Blackwall/Cassandra</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Maker take you!”, Cassandra screamed, as her sword cleaved through the neck of the man who had been Leo of Lucien Bay until just then, some thick spurts of blood gurgling through his throat amounting to his last words as his spellbook, formerly held aloft by his magic, fell into the desert sand.</p><p>Elsewhere in the maleficar’s camp, Vivienne froze his henchman on the spot, then shattered him into countless pieces, whilst Cole saw the last of them to peace with the Maker, idly wiping his blades afterwards.</p><p>“It’s finished,” Cassandra said, turning to the other two. “It’s a shame it didn’t resolve otherwise, but thank you both for helping me.”</p><p>“It wouldn’t have,” Cole said in his usual detached voice, “I don’t think. He wanted to keep hurting people, and you wouldn’t have let that happen.”</p><p>Vivienne glanced at him, saying, “That hardly needs special insight into his thoughts, my dear spirit. He was a maleficar fleeing to the ends of the earth. Anyone who wasn’t about to help him on the spot would’ve been his next victim. It’s my pleasure, and my honour, taking care of these matters, Cassandra.”</p><p>“You’re most welcome, then,” the Seeker said, cleaning her sword before re-sheathing it.</p><p>The journey back to their camp, some distance away in the Echoback Canyon, passed quietly, with only the silence only interrupted by an occasional gust tearing through the desert air, all the way until the Inquisition’s tents were just about in sight and where Vivienne couldn’t bear it anymore and spoke up.</p><p>“Oh, by the Maker’s grace, Cassandra,” she said, “I thought dealing with your apostate associate just now would have resolved whatever was eating you up, but you’re looking even more sour than usual.”</p><p>Glaring at her, Cassandra said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Madame de Fer.”</p><p>“You are among friends, you know,” Vivienne continued, pressing the issue. “Well, you’ve my listening ear, anyway, our spirit companion probably already knows exactly what’s been bothering you the whole time and is just too shy to say so.”</p><p>“My name is Cole,” said Cole.</p><p>“Why, so it is,” Vivienne remarked. “Now, then, Cassandra, shall I ask Cole or ask you?”</p><p>Crossing her arms defensively, Cassandra said, “Neither will be necessary. It simply concerns our Inquisitor’s mission concerning the Grey Wardens. I’ve been uneasy ever since Loghain filled us in on how corrupted they were. I can only pray that whatever they encounter at that ancient Tevinter tower isn’t more than they can handle.”</p><p>“With Varric, our own Tevinter ally and our own Warden, along with Hawke, I daresay that’s more than enough to handle the situation. Unless, of course, you’re worried about our own Warden Blackwall succumbing to Corypheus’ same hold over the rest of the Wardens?”</p><p>Looking into the distance, Cassandra muttered, “He claimed it had no effect on him…”</p><p>“Ah,” Vivienne said comprehendingly.</p><p>Cassandra wheeled around to face her again. “Is that supposed to mean something?”</p><p>“You’re practically wearing it on your sleeve, darling,” Vivienne said. “If you’re not going to address it, I’m just going to have to force it out of Cole here.”</p><p>Nodding, Cole added, “You won’t need to. She’s worried about him.”</p><p>Her cheeks flushing for reasons other than the desert heat, Cassandra retorted, “This conversation is <em>over.</em>”</p>
<hr/><p>The rest of the journey was truly spent in silence, with the first of any conversation only starting again when one of the Inquisition scouts came running from the camp, bearing a tiny scroll.</p><p>“Seeker Pentaghast!”, he said, “The Inquisitor sent this.”</p><p>Feeling her pulse racing as she took it, Cassandra asked, “Then, what they found at that ancient Tevinter tower…”</p><p>“They’re returning to Skyhold post-haste whilst Hawke and Warden Loghain scout ahead, Lady Seeker,” he said.</p><p>She unfurled it, the message simply bearing, <em>All safe and sound. Meet you all at Lost Spring Camp once Leo of Lucien Bay dealt with. Love, Rivka.</em></p><p>Nodding as she read it over once more to make sure she caught the first sentence properly, she said to the scout, “Saddle up the Striders, we’ll head through the gates immediately.”</p><p>“Yes, ma’am,” the scout said, turning around to give orders to the grooms.</p><p>“He’s safe,” Cole mused.</p><p>Vivienne added, “You must be relieved.”</p><p>Raising her eyebrow, Cassandra told them, “I don’t believe I ever said this conversation <em>wasn’t</em> over. Let us waste no time in making the rendezvous.”</p><p>“You might still want to hydrate before we head off, dear,” Vivienne teased. “You’re practically red as an apple.”</p><p>“<em>Enough.</em>”</p>
<hr/><p>It wasn’t long before they saw the Inquisitor’s party arrive on horseback, Rivka pulling up at the camp Cullen’s forces had first established in pursuit of the renegade Wardens, with Dorian, Varric, and Blackwall following close behind.</p><p>“I <em>told</em> you the Lady Seeker would be fine, Beardy,” Varric said as he spotted the other party at the camp.</p><p>Dorian, leading Varric’s mule by the bridle, remarked, “If anything, all your fretting was doing her a disservice, Blackwall. Even if her foeman was as formidable as our Venatori friend, she’d probably have managed to cleave through him before he got clean away, <em>unlike</em> the collective might of your, Hawke and Warden Loghain’s blades.”</p><p>“I <em>said</em>, we’re not talking about it anymore,” Blackwall grumbled, continuing, “And it’s not as though either of you shot him or exploded his head as he was fleeing either.”</p><p>With that, he got off the saddle and hitched the packhorse to one of the carts as the two groups intermingled and traded information on their respective missions. Eventually as their companions split off into their own groups around the camp to make ready for the long journey back to Skyhold, the two apparent centres of attention somehow found each other loading supplies onto the same cart, neither particularly sure on how to start the conversation before settling on each other’s names.</p><p>“Blackwall.”</p><p>“Cassandra.”</p><p>“You’re…bleeding,” she said, looking down at the stains on his armour.</p><p>“It’s not mine,” he clarified, idly dabbing at them.</p><p>Cassandra tutted, saying, “At least make <em>some</em> effort to clean up your armour if you’re going to make a desert crossing. It’ll just be more difficult to wash off tonight.”</p><p>“As you wish, <em>mother</em>,” Blackwall said, chuckling. “Why, don’t tell me you were worried?”</p><p>“Perish the thought,” she chided, glancing around the cart before chastely pecking him upon the cheek.</p><p>Some distance away on the other side of the campsite, Rivka Lavellan, their Inquisitor and seemingly the only one of their companions who had managed to witness their exchange transpire, felt her eyes widening to the size of saucers.</p><p>“I <em>knew </em>it!”, she gasped.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tumblr: https://athenril-of-kirkwall.tumblr.com/post/637290178700050432/</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>